THE  LIBBARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 


THE  COLLECTION  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINIANA 

PRESENTED  BY 

J.   ?.   Blair 
C378 


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UNIVEHbll  Y  ur 


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the  North  Carolina  Collection  for  renewal. 


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OCT  14  2081 

DECl  4 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

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http://archive.org/details/addressonhistoryOObattl 


AN  ADDRESS 


ON    THE 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BUILDINGS 


OF   THE 


UNIVERSITY  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA, 


-BY- 


Kemp  P.  Battle,  LL.D, 

President  of  the   University, 


DelivEred  qii  UnivErsity  Day,  1BB3j 


IN    GERRARD    HALL 


GREENSBORO: 
Thomas,  Reece  &  Co.,  Printers, 


AN  ADDRESS 

ON    THE 

of  the  Buildings  of  the  UniYersity 

OF  NORTH  CAROLINA, 
By  KEMP  P.  BATTLE,  LL.   D., 

Delivered  on  University  Day,  1883,  in  Gerrard  Hall. 


I  propose  to-day  to  give  a  brief 
account  of  each  of  the  buildings 
of  the  University. 

This  anniversary  day  commem- 
orates the  laying  of  the  corner 
stone  of  the  Old  East  Building,  on 
the  12th  of  October,  1793.  I  have 
already  recounted  at  length  the  ' 
celebration  of  that  momentous 
event,  when  Wm.  Richardson 
Davie,  in  stately  dignity,  arrayed 
in  his  Grand  Master's  Regalia, 
with  his  silver  trowel  in  the  hand 
which  had  wielded  the  warrior's 
sword,  surrounded  by  Alfred 
Moore  W.  H.  Hili,  Treasurer 
John  Haywood,  Alexander 
Mebane,  John  Williams,  Thomas 
Blount,  Frederick  Hargett, 
and  other  eminent  men  of  that 
day,  including  the  generous 
donors  of  our  land,  Benjamin 
Yergain,  Colonel  John  Hogan, 
Matthew  McCauley,  Christopher 
Barbee,  Alexander  Piper,  James 
Craig, Edward  Jones,  John  Daniel, 
Mark  Morgan  and  Hardy  Morgan, 


gave  tangible  form  to  the  institu- 
tion, for  which  he  had  labored 
with  such  persistent  energy  and 
wisdom,  while  Dr.  Samuel  E.  Mc- 
Corkle  invoked  the  blessings  of 
Heaven  on  the  enterprise.  The 
building  was  of  humble  size,  only 
two  stories  high,  with  16  rooms, 
designed  for  the  occupancy  of 
four  students  each,  but  it  sheltered 
many  able  young  men  struggling 
hard  and  struggling  successfully 
for  the  inestimable  benefits  of 
disciplined  minds, — such  men  as 
Judge  Archibald  Murphy,  and 
Governor  JohnBranch  and  Francis 
L.  Dancy,  John  D.  Hawkins,  Wm. 
Hardy  Murfree,  Judge  John  Cam- 
eron, Judge  James  Martin,  Judge 
John  R.  Donnell,  Gavin  Hogg 
and  Chancellor  Williams  of 
Tennessee,  of  the  earlier  students, 
not  to  mention  the  names  of 
great  men  who  inhabited  it  in 
succeeding  years. 

The    Old    East    was    intended  , 
only    as    the    South    wing   of    a 


History'of  the  Buildings  of  the 


grander  structure  looking  to  the 
East,  to  front  a  wide  avenue, 
nearly  a  mile  long,  leading 
through  the  forests  eastwardly  to 
the  conspicuous  eminence  of 
which  Gen.  Davie  speaks:  "This 
peak,"  he  says,  "  is  called  Point 
Prospect.  The  flat  country  spreads 
out  below  like  the  ocean,  giving 
an  immense  hemisphere,  in  which 
the  eye  seems  to  be  lost  in  the 
extent  of  space."  The  name  has 
by  the  mutation  of  time  become 
singularly  inappropriate.  The 
growth  of  trees  and  brushwood 
has  shut  out  the  "  prospect"  and 
the  irreverent  successors  of  Davie, 
not  being  able  to  see  the  "  Point," 
have  with  tar-heel  obstinacy  and 
tar-heel  appropriateness  changed 
it  into  "  Piney." 

It  will  doubtless  interest  you  to 
hear  a  few  sentences  in  Davie's 
own  language,  describing  the 
laying  of  this  corner  stone.  He 
says  :  "  A  large  number  of  the 
brethren  of  the  Masonic  Order 
from  Hillsboro,  Chatham,  Gran- 
ville and  Warren  attended  at  the 
ceremony  of  placing  the  corner 
stone;  and  the  procession  for  this 
purpose  moved  from  *Mr.  Patter- 
son's at  12  o'clock,  in  the  follow- 
ing order  :  The  Masonic  brethren 
in  their  usual  order  of  procession; 
the  commissioners;  the  Trustees, 
not    commissioners;     the      Hon. 


*NOTE. — Mr.  Patterson  was  the  archi- 
tect. His  temporary  dwelling  was  on 
Cameron  Avenue  East. 


Judge  Mackay  and  other  public 
officers;  then  followed  the  gentle- 
men of  the  vicinity.  On  approach- 
ing the  south  end  of  the  building 
the  masons  opened  to  the  right 
and  left  and  the  commissioners, 
&c,  passed  through  and  took 
their  places.  The  Masonic  pro- 
cession then  moved  on  around 
the  foundation  of  the  building 
and  then  halted  with  their  usual 
ceremonies,  opposite  the  South- 
east corner,  where  Win.  Richard- 
son Davie,  Grand  Master  of  the 
j  Fraternity,  &c,  in  this  State, 
!  assisted  by  two  Masters  of  Lodges 
and  four  other  officers,  laid  the 
-  corner  stone,  enclosing-  a  plate  to 
commemorate  the  transaction. 

"  The  Rev.  Dr.  McCorckle  then 
i  addressed    the    Trustees    in     an 
1  excellent  discourse  suited  to  the 
occasion."     I     give    only    a    few 
sentences.     He    commenced     by 
[  saying:   "  It    is    our    duty   to    ac- 
|  knowledge  that  sacred  scriptural 
truth,    "  Except    the    Lord   build 
|  the  house,  they  labor  in  vain  who 
build  it;  except  the  Lord  watcheth 
,  the   city,   the  watchman  walketh 
1  but  in  vain."     He  then  contended 
that  "  the  advancement  of  learn- 
ing   and    science    is    one    great 
means  of  ensuring  the  happiness 
of  mankind."     *     *     *     "Liberty 
and   law  call  for  general  knowl- 
edge in  the  people  and  extensive 
knowledge     in      the    matters    of 
State;  and  these  demand    public 
places   of  education." 


University  of  North  Carolina. 


"  How  can  glory  or  wealth  be 
procured  and  preserved  without 
liberty    and    laws?  *       *       * 

"  Knowledge  is  wealth,  it  is  glory, 
whether  among  philosophers, 
ministers  of  State  or  religion, 
or  among  the  great  mass  of  the 
people.  Britons  glory  in  the 
name  of  a  Newton  and  honor 
him  with  a  place  among  the 
sepulchres  of  their  kings.  Amer- 
icans glory  in  the  name  of  a 
Franklin,  and  every  nation  boasts 
of  her  great  men,  who  has  them. 
Savages  cannot  have,  rather  can- 
not educate  them,  though  many  a 
Newton  has  been  born  and  buried 
among  them."  *  *  *  "Knowl- 
edge is  liberty  and  law.  When 
the  clouds  of  ignorance  are  dis- 
pelled by  the  radiance  of  knowl- 
edge, power  trembles,  but  the 
authority  of  the  laws  remain 
inviolable."  *  *  *  "And  how 
this  knowledge,  productive  of  so 
xmany  advantages  to  mankind, 
can  be  acquired  without  public 
places  of  education,  I  know  not." 
Dr.  McCorckle  concludes  as 
follows:  "The  seat  of  the  Uni- 
versity was  sought  for,  and  the 
public  eye  selected  Chapel  Hill, 
a  lovely  situation,  in  the  centre 
of  the  State,  at  a  convenient 
distance  from  the  capitol,  in  a 
healthy  and  fertile  neighborhood. 
May  this  hill  be  for  religion,  as  the 
ancient  hill  of  Zion  ;  and  for 
literature  and  the  muses  may  it 
surpass    the    ancient     Parnassus. 


We  this  day  enjoy  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  the  corner-stone  of  the 
University,  its  foundation,  its 
material  and  the  architect  for  the 
building,  and  before  long  we  will 
see  its  stately  walls  and  spires 
ascending  to  their  summit.  Ere 
long  we  hope  to  see  it  adorned 
with  an  elegant  village,  adorned 
with  all  the  necessaries  and  con- 
veniences of  civilized  society." 

"  The  discourse,"  says  Davie, 
"  was  followed  by  a  short  and 
animated  prayer,  closed  with  the 
united  Amen  of  an  immense 
concourse  of  people." 

The  hopes  thus  expressed  so 
earnestly  by  Dr.  McCorckle,  we 
on  this  day,  ninety  years  from 
the  delivery  of  his  noble  discourse, 
fully  realize.  We  see  around  us 
eight  stately  buildings,  from 
which  have  issued  five  thousand 
students,  in  long  procession, 
dispersing  over  this  broad  South- 
ern land  to  take  their  places 
among  its  strongest  and  wisest 
and  best  leaders,  in  peace  and  in 
war.  The  great  institution  thus 
inaugurated  has  supplied  with 
mental  nourishment  our  fathers 
and  grand-fathers,  sheds  its  lus- 
trous influence  on  us  to-day,  and 
will  be  an  educational  luminary 
to  all  the  ages  which  are  to  follow. 

The  Old  East  was  designed  to 
be  no  ephemeral  structure.  The 
foundation  is  a  stone  wall  three 
feet  thick.  The  mortar  is  of  two 
measures  of  lime  to  one  of  sand. 


History  of  the  Buildings  of  the 


The  sleepers  are  3  by  10  inches 
and  are  only  14  inches  apart. 
The  timbers  are  of  the  best  heart, 
the  bricks  carefully  made  on  the 
University  grounds  and  burnt 
hard  as  the  imperishable  rocks. 
The  lime  was  burnt  likewise  on  our 
own  land  from  shells  brought  by 
boat  from  Wilmington  to  Fayette- 
ville  and  thence  hauled  by  wagon. 
Among  the  donations  of  this 
period  I  find  50  bushels  of  shells 
by  Richard  Bennehan,  grand- 
father, as  the  royal  charters  say, 
"  of  our  well-beloved  cousin  and 
trusted  counsellor,"  Paul  C.  Cam- 
eron. 

"  OLD    WEST  " — EXTENSIONS. 

The  Old  East  continued  in  its 
primitive  condition  until  1824, 
when  its  roof  was  adorned  by 
another  story  nearer  to  the  skies. 
At  the  same  time  the  Old  West 
was  built  of  a  corresponding  size. 
In  1848  the  length  of  both  was 
extended  towards  the  north  so 
as  to  admit  new  Society  Halls 
and  Libraries.  I  remember  well 
the  ceremonies  of  the  inaugura- 
tion of  the  new  Hall,  of  which  I 
was  a  member.  I  violate  no 
confidence  in  describing  them, 
because  by  general  consent  the 
seal  of  secrecy  was  removed. 
The  Professor  of  Rhetoric,  a 
graduate  of  the  class  of  1818,  still 
surviving,  the  venerable  Bishop 
Green,  of  the  Episcopal  diocese 
of  Mississippi,  a  classmate  of  Pres- 
ident   Polk,     of    Rev.    Dr.    Mor- 


rison, now  living,  the  first  Presi- 
dent of  Davidson  College,  and  of 
our  good  old  friend,  Gen.  Mallett, 
of  New  York,  opened  the  exercises 
with  prayer.  A  young  lawyer  of 
the  class  of  1841,  now  regarded 
as  one  of  the  most  cultured 
!  members  of  that  profession  our 
j  State  has  produced,  who,  notwith- 
standing he  has  attained  the  hon- 
or of  being  the  second  law  officer 
of  a  country  of  50,000,000  peo- 
ple, has  not  lost  a  particle  of  his 
early  love  for  the  University, 
Gen.  Phillips,  delivered  an  ad- 
dress, which  for  appropriateness 
and  literary  ability,  I  have  never 
heard  surpassed  and  seldom 
equalled.  The  first  President  of 
the  Society  in  1795  was  still  living, 
the  venerable  James  Mebane, 
who  had  occupied  the  high  office 
of  Speaker  of  the  Senate.  His 
father,  Alexander  Mebane,  one 
of  the  early  members  of  Congress 
under  the  constitution  of  1789, 
had  been  one  of  our  early  Trus- 
tees, was  one  of  the  committee 
who  selected  the  site  of  the 
University  and  assisted  in  laying 
the  corner  stone.  As  James 
Mebane  had  a  distinguished  father, 
so  he  has  a  distinguished  son, 
likewise  Speaker  of  the  Senate, 
one  of  the  best  of  men,  Giles  Me- 
bane, of  Caswell.  I  had  the 
eminent  honor  of  sitting  by  the 
side  of  this  noble  father  of  the 
Dialectic  Society,  and  presiding 
jointly  with  him  over  its  deliber- 


University  of  North  Carolina. 


5 


ations.  I  wish  that  I  could 
reproduce  the  words  of  wisdom 
which  fell  from  his  lips  on  that 
night.  The  oil  portrait  over  the 
President's  chair  in  the  Dialectic 
Hall  is  a  perfectly  faithful  image 
of  the  President  of  1795.  He 
was  of  stately  figure,  tall  and 
ponderous.  His  bearing  was  like 
Washington's, grave  and  dignified, 
always  courteous,  but  repelling 
familiarity.  He  was  seated  on 
an  elevated  platform.  In  front 
were  officers  of  the  Society.  I 
recall  Thomas  Settle,  the  Vice- 
President,  who  showed  then  the 
powers  which  have  made  him  so 
eminent  since,  once  a  Judge  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  North 
Carolina,  now  Judge  of  the  Dis- 
trict Court  of  the  United  States 
for  Florida.  The  Secretary  was 
Washington  C.  Kerr,  the  State 
Geologist,  one  of  the  most  emi- 
nent scientific  men  this  University 
or  the  State  has  produced.  The 
President  of  the  Society,  a  marked 
contrast  to  the  President  of  1795, 
sat  on  the  same  platform,  on  his 
right.  While  the  old  President's 
weight  was  near  230,  the  new 
balanced  about  100  pounds.  He 
was  thin  even  to  cadaverousness. 
He  was  conspicuous  as  one  of  the 
smallest  boys  in  college.  What- 
ever dignity  he  had  was  borrowed 
for  the  occasion.  He  was  a  hard 
student,  but  jokes  and  laughter 
were  more  natural  to  him  in 
those  days  than  severity  or  even 
gravity  of  demeanor. 


Having  thus  presided  over  the 
Dilectic  Society,  jointly  with  the 
first  President,  I  feel  that  I  have 
a  kind  of  Apostolic  succession  in 
that  body. 

Having    finished    the    story    of 
the  Old  East  and  West  buildings, 
I  return  to  my  starting  point. 
president's  house — steward's 

HALL. 
The  lots  of  the  village  of 
Chapel  Hill  were  sold  on  the  same 
12th  of  October,  1793,  the  price 
for  all,  about  $3,000,  being  consid- 
ered highly  satisfactory.  It  was 
pressingly  necessary  to  provide  a 
residence  for  the  President,  or 
presiding  Professor,  and  also  a 
Steward's  Hall,  wherein  the  hun- 
gry students  of  the  period  might 
turn  hog  and  homony,  beef  and 
potatoes  and  the  juicy  "  collards" 
into  muscle  and  bones  and  brains 
and  nerves.  The  President's 
Mansion  is  the  house  on  the 
Avenue  west  of  the  New  West 
Building,  which  we  are  now  get- 
ting ready  for  the  occupancy  of 
our  Professor  of  Physics  and 
any  company  which  he  may  bring 
with  him  from  Bonny  Maryland. 
In  that  house  were  sheltered 
David  Ker  and  Joseph  Caldwell 
and  Dr.  Chapman,  then  it  passed 
into  the  possession  of  Dr.  Elisha 
Mitchell,  who  fell  a  martyr  to  his 
love  of  scientific  accuracy  on  the 
loftiest  summit  of  the  Black 
Mountains.  President  Caldwell 
prefered    to    rest  under    his   own 


History  of  the  Buildings  of  the 


vine  and  fig  tree,  the  present  resi- 
dence of  Prof.  Hooper,  which  was 
purchased  by  the  University  after 
Caldwell's  death.  The  old  Presi- 
dent's house  contained  in  the 
small  room  at  the  head  of  the 
stairs, the  library  of  the  institution. 
The  Steward's  Hall  was  situate 
nearly  opposite  the  New  East 
Building  in  the  centre  of  Cameron 
Avenue.  It  was  there  that  most 
of  the  students  for  many  years 
boarded  at  Commons,  paying  for 
the  first  year  $30,  or  $3  per 
month,  for  the  next  four  years  $40 
per  year  or  $4  per  month,  in  1800 
rising  to  $57  per  year,  in  1805  to 
$60,  in  1814,  ander  the  inflated  war 
prices  to  $66.50,  in  1818  to  $95,  or 
$9.50  per  month,  in  1839  to  $7^, 
when  the  system  was  abandoned 
and  every  man  made  his  own  con- 
tracts for  the  supplies  of  life.  It 
was  in  this  building  that  the 
"  Balls"  of  the  old  days  were 
given,  at  which  tradition  hath  it, 
venerable  Trustees  and  Faculty, 
even  the  great  President  himself, 
together  with  their  pupils,  with 
hair  powdered  and  plaited  into 
"  pigtails",  and  legs  encased  in 
tight  stockings  and  knees  re- 
splendent with  buckles,  mingled 
in  the  mazy  dance  with  the 
beauteous  damsels  of  the  day, 
whose  brilliant  dresses  and  an- 
gelic beauty  far  be  it  from  me  to 
describe.  I  must  for  that  purpose 
call  into  my  service  the  scientific 
pens  of  my  unmarried  professors, 


glowing  with  electric  energy  and 
chemical  forces,  or  of  Dr.  Man- 
ning's students,  so  well  qualified 
by  researches  into  the  ancient 
laws,  to  give  information  on  such 
antiquarian  matters. 

At  the  Commencement  of  1881 
1  we  had  a  most  eloquent  and  in- 
structive address  to  the  students 
by  an  excellent  specimen  of  the 
old  school,  an  octogenarian,  Gen. 
Mallett,  of  New  York,  lately 
called  to  his  final  home.  I  intro- 
duced him  as  having  received  his 
diploma  63  years  before  that  day, 
and  stated  that  for  70  years  he 
had  never  taken  a  glass  of  ardent 
spirits,  and  therefore  that  he  had 
still  the  inestimable  blessings  of 
mens  sana  in  cor  pore  sano,  and  that 
other  still  greater  blessing,  mens 
sibi  conscia  recti.  In  his  auto- 
biography, printed  only  for  his 
relatives — a  copy  being  given  our 
Historical  Society  at  the  urgent 
request  of  Mrs.  Spencer,  we  find 
an  account  of  the  Ball  given  in 
compliment  to  his  class,  when 
graduating.  I  must  extract  a 
description  of  his  dress  : 

"  The  style  of  costume,"  says 
Gen.  Mallett,  ''and  even  the 
manners  of  the  present  generation 
are  not  in  my  opinion  an  improve- 
ment on  a  half  century  ago.  The 
managers  would  not  admit  a 
gentleman  into  a  ball-room  with 
boots,  or  even  a  frock  coat;  and 
to  dance  without  gloves  was 
simply    vulgar.     At    Commence- 


University  of  North  Carolina. 


ment  ball,  (when  I  graduated, 
1818,)  my  coat  was  broadcloth  of 
sea-green  color,  high  velvet  collar 
to  match,  swallow-tail,  pockets 
outside  with  lapels,  and  large 
silver-plated  buttons;  white  satin 
damask  vest,  showing  the  edge  of 
a  blue  undervest;  a  wide  opening 
for  bosom  ruffles,  and  no  shirt 
collar.  The  neck  was  dressed 
with  a  layer  of  four  or  five  three- 
cornered  cravats,  artistically  laid, 
and  surmounted  with  a  cambric 
stock,  pleated  and  buckled  behind. 
My  pantaloons  were  white 
canton  crape,  lined  with  pink 
muslin,  and  showed  a  peach- 
blossom  tint.  They  were  rather 
short,  in  order  to  display  flesh 
colored  silk  stockings,  and  this 
exposure  was  increased  by  very 
low  cut  pumps  with  shiny  buckles. 
My  hair  was  very  black,  very 
long  and  queued.  I  should  be 
taken  for  a  lunatic  or  a  harlequin 
in  such  costume  now." 

I  challenge  Mr.  Chief  Manager 
Roberts  to  produce  a  dress  as 
gorgeous  as  this  on  any  student  of 
the  Ball  of  1883. 

PERSON  HALL — THE  OLD  CHAPEL. 

Having  provided  dormitories 
for  sheltering  the  students  and 
food  for  their  bodily  sustenance, 
and  halls  for  their  mental  instruc- 
tion, the  Trustees  next  addressed 
themselves  for  provision  for  the 
religious  and  moral  training. 
The       old       ante-Revolutionary 


Chapel  of  the  Church  of  England, 
from  which  the  place  took  its 
name,  originally  New  Hope 
Chapel,  the  place  being  likewise 
New  Hope  Chapel  Hill,  had  gone 
to  decay.  A  building  under  the 
control  of  the  Trustees  must  be 
erected.  When  it  was  barely 
above  the  ground  the  treasury 
ran  low;  when  the  strong  box 
was  tapped  it  gave  a  hollow 
sound.  An  old  bachelor,  one  of 
that  class,  which  having  no  im- 
mediate claims  on  its  bounty, 
sometimes  redeems  by  beneficence 
to  public  objects  their  failures  in 
social  duty,  came  to  their  relief. 
His  name  was  Thomas  Person. 
He  had  been  an  ardent  lover  of 
liberty,  had  sympathized  with  the 
Regulators  in  their  abortive  effort 
to  shake  off  colonial  oppressors, 
and  had  suffered  from  the  ravages 
of  Tryon's  army.  He  was  promi- 
nent in  resisting  the  exactions  of 
the  British  Government,  which  led 
to  the  war  of  Independence.  He 
appeared  at  Newbern  as  a  Dele- 
gate from  Granville  to  the  first 
Assembly  held  in  defiance  of  the 
royal  authority  in  August,  1774, 
of  which  that  noble  patriot,  John 
Harvey,  was  moderator.  He  was 
one  of  the  thirteen  Council  of  Safe- 
ty which  was  the  supreme  Provi- 
sional Government, after  the  end  of 
the  Royal  authority.  He  assisted 
in  1776,  as  a  member  of  the 
Congress  at  Halifax,  in  forming 
our  State  constitution,   in    which 


History  of  the  Buildings  of  the 


alone  of  all  others  was  a  provision 
requiring  the  establishment  of  a 
University.  He  was  the  first 
Brigadier  General  of  the  District 
of  Hillsboro.  He  was  among" 
the  band  of  forty  of  the  greatest 
men  the  State  had  in  1789 — the 
first  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
University,  among  whom  were 
six  Governors,  eight  Judges,  of 
whom  two  were  Judges  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States,  fifteen  members  of  Con- 
gress, of  whom  three  were  Sena- 
tors, besides  able  men  like 
Archibald  Maclaine,  -Frederick 
Hargett,  Stephen  Cabarrus,  Wra. 
Lenoir,  Joel  Lane,  John  Hay- 
wood, Joseph  McDowell,  Joseph 
Graham,  and  others,  who  were 
great  in  war,  or  as  trusted  officers 
or  legislators  of  our  State,  or  in 
the  pursuits  of  private  life.  With 
these  Person  was  a  fit  associate. 
As  Senator  from  Granville  he 
gave  his  vote  for  the  new  institu- 
tion. He  did  more.  He  put  his 
hand  into  his  pocket.  He  pulled 
out  and  dropped  into  its  treasury 
shining  gold.  In  grateful  memory 
of  his  services  to  the  State  the 
General  Assembly  gave  his  name 
to  a  gallant  little  county  carved 
out  of  old  Orange.  In  gratitude 
for  his  generous  gift  the  Trustees 
called  the  new  Chapel  after  him — 
Person  Hall — or  as  it  still  appears 
on  the  diplomas,  Aula  Personica. 
In  this  Hall  our  ancestors 
worshipped  for  nearly  fifty  years. 


On  its  platform  verdant  Freshmen 
and  sapient  Sophomores  and 
dignified  Juniors  spouted  about 
"  They  tell  us,  sir,  that  we  are 
weak,"  and  "  Blind  old  Bard  of 
Scio's  Rocky  Isle,"  and  "  Boys 
standing  on  Burning  Decks,"  and 
"  Lindens  when  the  Sun  was  low," 
and  on  grand  Commencement 
occasions  "  most  potent,  grave 
and  reverend  Seniors  made  Latin 
Salutatories,  in  which  every  allu- 
sion to  "formosissimoe puella?  Sep- 
tentrionalis  Carolinnce"  (all  the 
Latin  the  boys  understood),  was 
greeted  with  tumultuous  applause, 
delivered  valedictories  loaded 
with  mournful  farewells,  and 
dissertations  in  Literature,  Science 
and  History,  worthy  to  live 
forever — or  at  any  rate  to  fill  the 
pages  of  a  University  Monthly. 

Although  this  building  is  named 
Person  Hall,  yet,  because  of  its 
use  as  a  church  on  Sundays  and 
for  morning  and  evening  prayers, 
it  gained  the  name  of  "  the  Chap- 
el," and  when  Gerrard  Hall  was 
built,  the  former  was  called  and 
is  so  known  to  this  day  by  old 
students  as  "  the  Old  Chapel."  I 
have  heard  recent  students  speak 
of  Physics  Hall,  but  that  is  a 
desecration.  "  Throw  Physic(s) 
to  the  dogs".  I  would  as  soon 
steal  the  old  General's  monument 
and  convert  it  into  a  door-step, 
as  purloin  his  name  from  his 
building.  So  whenever  a  visitor 
asks  you  where  is   Dr.  Venable's 


University  of  North  Carolina. 


9 


Industrial  Museum,  which  he  has 
collected  and  arranged  with  such 
intelligent  skill,  carry  him  straight 
to  PERSON  HALL. 
GERRARD  HALL — NEW  CHAPEL. 
A  larger  Hall  was  needed  for  the 
growing  institution.  The  build- 
ing where  we  now  are  assembled 
was  begun  in  1822.  It  was  called 
after  another  Revolutionary  hero 
- — not  a  bachelor,  but  childless. 
He  was  a  native  of  Carteret,  but 
long  a  resident  of  Edgecombe, 
Major  Chas.  Gerrard.  He  served 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end.  As  a 
soldier  he  was  "  brave,  active  and 
persevering."  His  character  as  a 
citizen,  husband,  father,  friend 
and  neighbor  was  justly  admired 
by  all  who  knew  him.  His  rank 
in  the  army  (Lieutenant)  entitled 
him  to  a  grant  of  2560  acres, 
which  he  located  at  the  junction 
of  Yellow  Creek  with  Cumber- 
land river,  not  far  below  the  city 
of  Nashville.  I  hold  in  my  hand 
the  original  grant,  sealed  with 
the  great  seal  of  the  State.  This 
tract,  the  fruit  of  his  toil  and  suf- 
fering and  blood,  he  regarded 
with  peculiar  affection,  and  when 
he  bequeathed  this,  with  some  10,- 
000  acres  additional,  which  he  had 
purchased,  he  requested  in  his 
will  that  it  should  perpetually  re- 
main the  property  of  the  Uni- 
versity. For  35  years  the  Trustees 
regarded  this  wish  as  sacred. 
But  after    this    long    experiment, 


after  losses  from  the  neglect  and 
perfidy  of  agents  and  the  oner- 
ous charges  of  high  taxes,  while 
the  black  cloud  of  debt  hung 
over  the  institution,  they  con- 
cluded with  sorrow  to  authorize 
its  sale.  Two  of  their  ablest 
lawyers,  Gaston  &  Badger,  after 
examination  reported  the  follow- 
ing resolution, 

"  Whereas,  The  Trustees  of 
the  University  of  North  Carolina 
have  been  compelled  to  direct  a 
sale  of  a  valuable  tract  of  land, 
bequeathed  by  Major  Charles 
Gerrard,  with  the  request  that  the 
same  might  be  perpetually  re- 
tained by  the  University,  and 

Whereas,  They  are  solicitous 
not  only  to  manifest  their  own 
sense  of  the  liberality  of  the 
donor,  but  as  far  as  may  be  prac- 
ticable to  perpetuate  its  remem- 
brance, 

Resolved,  Therefore  that{$2,ooo, 
part  of  the  purchase  money  of 
said  land  shall  be  applied  to  the 
finishing  of  the  new  Hall  at  the 
University,  and  that  the  same 
shall  be  called  by  the  name  of 
"  Gerrard  Hall." 

Five  years  afterwards  this  res- 
olution was  carried  into  effect.  I 
wish  you  to  note  particularly  the 
spelling  of  the  name  of  the  old 
hero.  The  original  will  and  the 
obituary  notice  in  the  North 
Carolina  Journal,  published  at 
Halifax,  by  Hodge  &  Wills,  Oct. 
16th,  1797,  give  the  name  Gerrard. 


IO 


History  of  the  Buildings  of  the 


Judges  Gaston  and  Badger  in  their 
resolution  have  the  same  spelling, 
which  I  am  particular  about, 
because  unfortunate  carelessness 
has  often  confounded  our  benefac- 
tor's name  with  that  of  Stephen 
Girard,  the  benefactor  of  Phila- 
delphia. I  am  quite  sure  that  in 
every  respect,  except  in  wealth 
and  money  making  cunning  our 
gallant  lieutenant  of  the  Revolu- 
tion was  vastly  the  superior  of 
the  Philadelphia  trader. 

I  witnessed  once  in  this  Hall 
one  of  those  exhibitions  of  uncon- 
trolable, unreasoning  fright,  which 
sometimes  happen  to  crowds  and 
which  the  ancients  attributed  to 
temporary  madness,  inspired  by 
the  God,  Pan.  A  cry  was  raised 
"  the  Gallery  is  falling  !  "  There 
was  a  rush  of  the  crowd  amid 
screams  of  terror.  There  was 
for  a  moment  imminent  danger 
of  trampling  to  death  in  the  nar- 
row stair-cases.  I  recall  vividly 
how  firm  and  severe  was  the  atti- 
tude of  President  Swain,  of  More- 
head,  Graham,  Battle,  and  other 
Trustees,  who  sat  on  the  rostrum. 
There  was  no  serious  damage 
done.  Some  gallant  young  men, 
who  were  on  the  outside,  display- 
ed their  heroism  by  catching  in 
their  arms  the  frightened  damsels 
leaping  from  the  windows,  but  I 
heard  no  complaints  on  either 
side.  A  $100  reward  offered  on 
the  spot  failed  to  detect  the  giver 
of  the  false  alarm. 


An  architect's  examination 
proved  that  not  Sampson,  in  all 
his  long-haired  glory,  could  have 
pulled  down  the  galleries,  even  if 
they  were  loaded  with  bad  Philis- 
tines, instead  of  good  North 
Carolinians,  but  still  additional 
pillars  were  inserted  and  other 
alterations  made  to  give  public 
confidence  and  afford  larger  room. 

When  this  Hall  was  built  it  was 
intended  to  have  a  broad  avenue 
running  along  the  Southern 
wall,  East  and  West.  Hence 
the  porch  on  the  South  side  of 
the  building.  The  merchants  of 
the  village  claimed  that  this 
would  injure  their  trade  by 
diverting  travel  from  Franklin 
Street,  and  the  plan  was  abandon- 
ed to  the  mystification  of  all  who 
do  not  know  this  veracious  history. 

THE  SOUTH  BUILDING. 

We  will  now  return  to  what  Ave 
call  the  South,  but  what  was 
known  for  many  years  as  the 
"  Main"  Building,  the  old  plan  of 
grand  structure  to  face  the  East, 
just  as  the  capitols  at  Washing- 
ton and  Raleigh,  were  faced  un- 
der the  influence  of  orientalization 
was  soon  abandoned,  and  the 
European  plan  of  a  quadrangle — 
in  old  times  a  veritable  prison  in 
which  the  students  were  locked 
at  night,  giving  rise  to  the  ex- 
pression "  being  in  quad,"  was 
adopted,  probably  at  the  sugges- 
tion   of  Dr.    Caldwell    and    Prof. 


University  of  North  Carolina. 


ii 


Harris,  who  were  educated  at 
Princeton.  Its  corner  stone  was 
laid  in  1798.  Its  walls  reached 
the  height  of  a  story  and  a  half, 
and  then  remained  roofless  for 
years.  Dr.  Wm.  Hooper  in  his 
"  50  Years  Since,"  a  most  interest- 
ing and  amusing  production,  tells 
how  the  students  of  that  day 
packed  in  the  East  Building  four 
in  a  room,  built  cabins  in  the 
corner  of  the  South  in  order  to 
secure  greater  privacy  for  devo- 
tion to  their  books,  and  how,  "  as 
soon  as  spring  brought  back  the 
swallows  and  the  leaves,  they 
emerged  from  their  den  and  chose 
some  shady  retirement,  where 
they  made  a  path  and  a  prome- 
nade," like  the  Peripatetics  of 
ancient  Greece.  He  states  more- 
over, what  sounds  strange  to  us, 
that  holidays  were  sometimes 
given  for  the  curious  reason  that 
the  inclemency  of  the  weather 
prevented  study. 

To  finish  this  building  was  the 
great  problem  of  the  young 
University.  The  Trustees  in 
despair  did  not  hesitate  to  prac- 
tice what  was  common  in  old 
time,  even  for  building  churches 
and  denominational  schools,  but 
^yhich  the  sounder  morals  of  our 
day  make  a  criminal  offence,  the 
raising  of  money  by  lotteries.  I 
have  their  circular  of  1802,  an- 
nouncing with  sanctimonious 
gravity  that  "  the  interests  of  the 
University  of  North  Carolina  and 


of  learning  and  science  generally, 
are  concerned  in  the  immediate 
sale  of  these  tickets."  The  high- 
est price  was  $1,500,  and  was 
drawn  by  Gen.  Lawrence  Baker, 
of  Gates.  The  lucky  number, 
1 138,  was  announced  as  an  im- 
portant item  by  the  Metropolitan 
Journal,  the  Raleigh  Register. 

Still  the  building  was  unfinished, 
and  still  the  intellectual  squatters 
of  the  University  sat  sub  divo,  as 
the  Professor  of  Latin  would  say. 
President  Caldwell  mounted  with 
heroic  energy  his  stick-back  gig 
and  painfully  traveled  over  the 
State  in  1809,  and  again  in  181 1, 
soliciting  subscriptions. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  con- 
trast his  journeys  with  those  of 
the  present  day,  when  one  can 
dine  in  Goldsboro  and  breakfast 
next  morning  in  Asheville.  The 
battle  of  New  Orleans  occurred 
on  the  8th  January,  181 5.  The 
news  did  not  reach  Raleigh  until 
the  17th  of  February.  Prof. 
Charles  W.  Harris  writes  in  1795 
to  Dr.  Caldwell,  at  Princeton,  that 
his  best  way  of  reaching  Chapel 
Hill  is  to  buy  a  horse  and  sulky 
and  thus  travel  in  his  own  con- 
veyance, selling  the  same  at 
Chapel  Hill.  He  is  confident 
that  the  trip  can  be  made  in  thirty 
days.  Last  week  the  President 
of  1883  left  New  York  at  a  quar- 
ter before  four  o'clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon, in  a  luxurious  coach, 
which  ran  so  smoothly  that  read- 


12 


History  of  the  Buildings  of  the 


ing  and   even  writing    was    easy, 
so  well  lighted  at   night    that:  he 
read   with    comfort  and    pleasure 
Anthony    Trollope's   most   inter- 
esting  Autobiography  until  bed- 
time   at  Washington,    then  went 
regularly  to  bed,  had  a  refreshing 
night's  rest,    and  dined  next    day 
at  a    quarter    before    two    in    the 
afternoon     at     home — less     than 
twenty-two  hours.     It  was  doubt- 
less the  achings  and  weariness  of 
the  flesh  of  these  journeys  which 
caused    Dr.     Caldwell     20   years 
after  to  astonish  the  State  by  his 
eloquent    and    practical    Carlton 
letters,    advocating     the     N.     C. 
Rail   Road    from    the    Tennessee 
line  to  Beaufort.     His  labors  were 
successful.       He     secured     about 
$12,000,    and    while    our    people 
were  going  crazy   over  the   naval 
victories    of    18 14     the    rejoicing 
students    moved    into    the    com- 
pleted   "  South     Building."     The 
cornerstone  was  laid  the  year  when 
the  great  Napoleon  gained  the  first 
victory  of  the  Pyramids,  the  year 
before  he    usurped    the  power    of 
1st    Consul;  it    was    finished    the 
year  when  he    laid  down    the  im- 
perial title    for  a  petty  throne    in 
Elba,    the    year    before    his    final 
ruin    at    Waterloo.     When    that 
corner  stone    was    laid   the    land 
was  ringing  with  preparations  for 
a  war  with  France.     The  building 
was  ready  for  occupancy  while  we 
were    fighting    England.     It    has 
lately    sheltered     cavalry  of   the 


conquering    Union    army    in    the 
great  civil  war. 

It  was  one  of  the  grandest 
buildings  in  North  Carolina  in 
those  days.  It  afforded  ample 
recitation  rooms.  It  furnished 
for  a  third  of  a  century  halls 
and  libraries  for  the  two  so- 
cieties, which  before  its  erec- 
tion were  forced  to  meet  by 
turns  in  Person  Hall.  I  have 
thought  that  it  should  have  been 
called  in  honor  of  the  Father  of 
the  University,  Gen.  Davie.  The 
omission  thus  to  recognize  his 
great  services  has  been  rectified 
by  the  happy  thought  of  a  gifted 
lady,  on  whom  the  Muses  of  His- 
tory and  Poesy  have  benignly 
breathed,  Mrs.  C.  P.  Spencer,  by 
calling  the  historical  tree  which 
sheltered  the  venerable  men,  who 
under  its  shade  located  the  site 
of  the  University,  which  in  spite 
of  a  century's  storms  and  the 
fierce  assault  of  the  thunderbolt, 
still  rears  its  majestic  head  above 
the  neighboring  oaks,  the  Davie 
Poplar. 

SMITH    HALL. 

In- 1852  the  Trustees  did  tardy 
honor  to  the  first  benefactors  of 
the  University.  The  charter  was 
granted  in  1789.  The  first  meet- 
ing of  the  Board  was  held  in 
1790  at  the  flourishing  town  of 
Fayetteville.  The  President  of 
the  Board  was  a  King's  Mountain 
hero,  Gen.  Wm.  Lenoir,  who  has 
given  his  name  to  a  county  and  a 


University  of  North  Carolina. 


13 


town  of  our  State — the  last  sur- 
vivor of  this  illustrious  forty — 
dying  in  1 839  at  the  age  of  88.  Gen. 
Benjamin  Smith,  of  Brunswick, 
then  a  member,  made  the  first 
donation  for  the  cause  of  higher 
education  in  North  Carolina.  He 
gladened  the  hearts  of  all  present 
by  the  gift  of  20,000  acres  of 
land  in  Tennessee.  It  is  true 
they  were  not  immediately  avail- 
able. They  were  afterwards 
surrendered  to  the  Chickasaws 
add  subsequently  repurchased  by 
the  Government.  It  was  forty 
years  before  they  were  made 
available.  They  were  ultimately 
sold  for  $14,000,  after  being 
shaken  up  by  the  greatest  earth- 
quake, which  has  afflicted 
America  since  its  discovery,  into 
lakes  and  hills.  The  proceeds 
went  into  the  endowment  and 
was  swallowed  up  by  the  great 
civil  war,  which  with  more  terrible 
voracity  than  a  hundred  earth-  J 
quakes  engulphed  so  much  of  the 
wealth  and  population  of  the 
Southern  country. 

Benjamin  Smith  was  a  man  of 
mark.  He  was  in  youth  an  aide- 
de-camp  of  Washington  in  the 
disastrous  defeat  of  Long  Island. 
He  was  conspicuous  for  his  gal- 
lantry under  Moultrie.  By  his 
fiery  eloquence  the  militia  of 
Brunswick  volunteered  to  serve 
under  him  in  the  threatened  war 
against  France.  He  was  fifteen 
times  Senator    from    Brunswick. 


He  was  chosen  Governor  in  1810. 
His  county  called  its  capital, 
Smithville,  in  his  honor.  His 
name  survives  too  in  the  bleak 
and  stormy  island  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Cape  Fear.  The  land  he 
gave  us,  as  was  also  the  land  of 
Gerrard,  was  won  by  valor 
and  blood  in  the  war  for 
freedom.  Their  sacrifices  were 
not  useless.  Their  monuments 
are  far  more  enduring  than  brass 
or  marble.  Centuries  will  come 
and  go.  Families  will  grow 
great  and  be  extinguished.  For- 
tunes will  be  made  and  lost. 
Offices  will  be  struggled  for  and 
ambitious  hopes  realized,  but  the 
names  of  the  victors  will 
vanish  as  if  written  on  the  sands 
of  the  sea  shore.  Reputations 
blazing  in  pulpit,  or  forum,  and 
senate  chamber  will  fade  as  rap- 
idly as  the  meteor's  path.  But 
the  blessings  of  the  gifts  of 
Person,  Gerrard  and  Smith  will 
never  cease.  For  nearly  a  century 
they  have  planted  learning  and 
sound  principles  in  the  minds  of 
men  over  all  our  Southern  land. 
In  all  the  ages  to  come  their 
work  will  go  on.  The  thousand 
young  men,  who  will  have  their 
mental  panoply  supplied  from  the 
University  armory  to  engage  in 
life's  varied  conflicts,  will  hold  their 
names  in  honor.  As  long  as  the 
University  lasts  they  will  never 
be  forgotten,  and  the  University 
will  last  forever! 


14 


History  of  the  Buildings  of  the 


NEW    EAST — NEW    WEST. 

I  will  say  only  a  few  words  of 
the  New  East  and  New  West 
buildings.  Prior  to  1850  the 
highest  number  of  students  was 
170.  After  the  discovery  of  the 
California  gold  mines,  and  conse- 
quent increase  in  the  supply  of 
the  circulating  medium,  there 
ensued  wonderfully  prosperous 
times  for  all  the  world,  and  espe- 
cially for  our  Southern  States. 
The  old  North  Carolina  families 
who  had  carried  their  lures  and 
penates  into  the  fertile  regions  of 
the  South-west  sent  back  their 
sons  to  their  native  State  for 
education.  Students  swarmed 
into  the  University.  They  over- 
flowed the  old  buildings  and  were 
camped  in  little  cottages  all  over 
the  town  from  Couchtown  to 
Craig's.  In  1858  there  were  as 
many  as  456,  of  whom  178 
were  from  other  States  than 
North  Carolina.  The  New  East 
and  New  West  were  built  for 
their  accommodation,  finished  in 
1859.  The  two  societies  aided  in 
a  considerable  degree  in  the 
construction  and  adornment  of 
their  beautiful  Halls  and  library 
rooms.  Probably  no  Societies  in 
America  have  superior  accommo- 
dations in  these  respects,  and  I 
am  bound  to  say  that  in 
my  opinion  no  Societies  by 
intelligent  and  honest  devotion 
to  the  purposes  of  their  creation 


better  deserve  them.     Long  may 
they  flourish. 

MEMORIAL    HALL. 

We  come  at  last  to  the  Me- 
morial Hall,  which  though  about 
to  take  a  winter  nap,  will  in  the 
spring,  we  hope,  rise  rapidly  in 
all  its  harmony  and  grandeur.  I 
have  already  explained  to  the 
students  that  a  miscalculation  as 
to  the  cost  was  made  by  the 
architect,  and  hence  a  delay 
is  necessary  in  order  to  replenish 
our  Treasury.  I  desire  it  to 
be  understood  that  very  ex- 
perienced builders  think  that  the 
work  ought  to  be  stopped  for  a 
while  in  order  to  allow  the  tim- 
bers to  dry.  They  are  green  as 
yet,  and  greenness  is  a  fault  in 
architectural  as  well  as  intellectual 
timbers.  After  being  securely 
covered  so  that  the  rain  and  snow 
shall  not  reach  them,  the  great 
rafters  will  by  the  end  of  winter 
shrink  to  their  final  dimensions 
and  support  their  majestic  roof 
with  no  warpings  or  distortions. 

Such  a  Hall  is  necessary,  in 
order  to  enable  us  to  accommo- 
date our  visitors — the  people  of 
North  Carolina.  We  have  gained 
much  odium  by  turning  from  our 
door  the  good  citizens,  who  made 
long  journeys  in  order  to  hear  the 
eloquence  of  our  Representatives 
and  Graduates.  Every  person, 
rich  and  poor,  who  desires,  should 
have,  and  shall  have  a  comforta- 


University  of  North  Carolina. 


i5 


ble  seat  during  our  Commence- 
ment exercises. 

This  Hall  will  supply  all  our 
needs.  It  will  hold  2450  seated 
without  crowding,  and  if  needed 
4000  can  be  pleasantly  cared  for 
by  utilizing  the  aisles.  You  can 
gain  a  vivid  idea  of  its  proportions 
by  noting  that  the  New  West 
Building  can  be  placed  in  it,  cen- 
tre to  centre,  and  whirled  around 
without  touching  its  walls. 

It  will  be  a  Memorial  Hall,  not 
alone  of  my  predecessor,  who  so 
long  and  so  ably  presided  over 
this  institution,  Gov.  Swain,  but 
of  all  the  departed  good  and 
great — Trustees,  Professors,  Alu- 
mini — who  have  aided  and  hon- 
ored the  University.  It  will  be  a 
Memorial  of  those  gallant  Alumni 


who,  at  the  call  of  our  State,  gave 
up  their  lives  in  the  great  civil 
war.  Though  God  gave  them 
not  the  victory,  and  though  we 
will  not  question  the  wisdom  of  the 
decision  of  the  All-Wise,  yet  we 
must  always  honor  the  courage, 
the  devotion  to  duty,  the  high 
resolve  and  the  willing  sacrifice 
of  our  Confederate  Dead. 

I  close  by  declaring,  with  no 
idle  boast,  that  it  is  the  purpose  of 
the  authorities  of  the  University 
to  continue  to  work  for  new 
buildings  and  new  apparatus  and 
new  books  until,  by  the  blessing 
of  God,  in  every  essential  respect 
the  children  of  North  Carolina 
shall  have  equal  advantages  with 
the  children  of  any  other  State 
in  this  Union. 


